Record Reviews

TONY ASHTON / JON LORD ~ FIRST OF THE BIG BANDS WOUNDED BIRD 2778 (Barcode: 664140277823) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1974 Released: 2009 Only studio album recorded by this wonderful pair of British musicians keyboardist / vocalist Tony AshtonFind albums by this artist (Ashton, Gardner & DykeFind albums by this artist) and keyboardist / composer Jon LordFind albums by this artist (Deep PurpleFind albums by this artist), which was a predecessor of the Paice, Ashton & LordFind albums by this artist group, which recorded the legendary "Malice In WonderlandFind albums with this title" a couple of years later. The pair is joined by a large group of musicians, the list reading like a who´s who of the British Rock scene at the time, including Peter FramptonFind albums by this artist and Ron WoodFind albums by this artist. The music is quite interesting, presenting a "wall of sound" effect with jazzy brass arrangements behind the rocky foreground. Some great guitar and keyboards parts spice the album up, but overall it flows wonderfully and shows a lot of the typical British humor. Musically the project shifts between Prog and Rock, but the brass arrangements and the jazzy undercurrent make it quite unique. It is great to have this little gem back in circulation!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FAMILY ~ BANDSTAND / IT`S ONLY A MOVIE BGO 856 (Barcode: 5017261208569) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2009 7th and 8th albums by the fantastic British Prog band FamilyFind albums by this artist, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. "BandstandFind albums with this title" was recorded by the same excellent lineup that created its predecessor "FearlessFind albums with this title" and the live album. In spite of extensive touring and some chart success Family sadly remained somewhere in the back trenches of the turbulent Rock scene, never actually achieving the recognition they truly deserved. By the time the recorded the second album included here, which was to be their swansong, the band was clearly running out of steam as far as climbing the commercial top was concerned. Poli PalmerFind albums by this artist and John WettonFind albums by this artist left (Wetton joined King CrimsonFind albums by this artist) and were replaced by keyboardist Tony AshtonFind albums by this artist and bassist Jim CreganFind albums by this artist. The last album was much more relaxed that the previous material, but definitely still a great piece of musical ingenuity, even if the critics and many of the band´s fans thought otherwise. In retrospect its whimsical approach to songwriting and Jazzy undertones sound truly excellent. The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band´s contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend